Searching for AstraZeneca: how vaccine maker became a trend

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The declarations by the World Health Organization and European Medicines Agency that the AstraZeneca vaccine is "safe" came after inoculation programs using the jab were halted by 18 European countries.

More than 17 million people have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca jab worldwide but some European countries feared it could cause blood clots.

Even before the concern about clots surfaced, the vaccine manufacturer had repeatedly made headlines, with several European nations initially deeming its product unsuitable for use in people aged over 65 before backtracking on that stance.

The EU has also been critical of AstraZeneca for failing to deliver sufficient doses of the vaccine to the bloc following production problems.

So what impact have these controversies had on the way the company is viewed?

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Why has the AstraZeneca jab been suspended?

A nurse in Spain prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine before the country temporarily halted the use of the jab over safety concerns. /AFP

According to Google Trends, a tool that enables users to monitor the most common topics being searched for online, there are widespread concerns over the AstraZeneca jab.

Some of the leading searches over the past week in relation to the vaccine include "AstraZeneca effectiveness" and "side effects of AstraZeneca."

Google Trends shows that increasing numbers of people are searching for information about potential problems with the AstraZeneca vaccine. /Google.

Unsurprisingly, information about the AstraZeneca vaccine has been most commonly sought after in countries where it has been temporarily banned.

Google Trends shows that in Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain and Norway, AstraZeneca has been searched for considerably more than the other vaccines currently in use.

AstraZeneca is a commonly searched term across Europe. More Germans are searching for information about the vaccine than people living in any other European country. /Google

A host of other vaccines are being used across Europe but interest in the AstraZeneca jab has soared since the start of March.

The lines on the graph below show the interest in information about the various vaccines since February, the blue line showing searches for AstraZeneca soaring in recent weeks.

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Search Trends